I hear this one a lot: "I don't need a website — I have a Facebook page." And I get it. Facebook is free. It's easy to update. Your customers are already on it. Why bother with anything else?
Because a Facebook page is not a website. It looks like one. It acts like one. But it doesn't do what a website does, and the difference matters more than most people realize.
You don't own your Facebook page
Facebook does. They let you use it. They decide what your page looks like, who sees your posts, and what the rules are. And those rules change constantly.
You've probably noticed that your posts don't reach as many people as they used to. That's by design. Facebook wants you to pay for ads. The organic reach — the number of people who see your posts without you paying — has been dropping for years. Some studies put it below 5%. That means if you have 500 followers, maybe 25 of them see what you post.
And if Facebook decides to change their algorithm again, or if they shut down business pages (they've done it in other countries), you lose everything. All your posts, your reviews, your followers — gone. You have no backup. You have no export. You have nothing.
Google doesn't treat Facebook pages the same as websites
When someone searches for your business, Google shows results based on what it thinks is most relevant. A real website with your business name, your location, and your services on it ranks better than a Facebook page almost every time.
That's because Google can read a website's content, structure, and metadata. It knows what the page is about. With Facebook, Google can only see what Facebook lets it see — which isn't much. Your hours might be on Facebook, but Google might not show them. Your address might be listed, but it might not connect to Google Maps the way a proper website would.
If you want to show up when people search for what you do in your town, a website does that job. A Facebook page doesn't.
Facebook looks the same for everyone
Every Facebook business page has the same layout. Same fonts. Same cover photo size. Same sidebar. Same everything. You can't make yours look different from the pizza shop down the street or the auto body place two towns over.
A website is yours. The colors, the layout, the photos, the feel — it all reflects your business. When someone lands on your website, they immediately get a sense of who you are. On Facebook, they get a sense of what Facebook looks like.
First impressions matter. And right now, your first impression looks exactly like everyone else's.
People expect a website
When someone is deciding whether to visit your business or call for a quote, they want to see a website. Not because they're tech people — because a website signals that you're legitimate. That you're established. That you're not going anywhere.
A Facebook-only business can feel temporary. Like a side hustle. Like something someone is doing out of their garage. That might not be fair, but it's how people think. A simple, professional website changes that perception instantly.
Facebook is great — as a supplement
I'm not saying delete your Facebook page. Keep posting. Keep engaging with customers. Use it for what it's good at — community interaction, quick updates, event announcements.
But don't make it your only presence. Use your website as the foundation — the thing that shows up in Google, the thing that looks professional, the thing you own. Let Facebook be the megaphone. Let your website be the storefront.
It doesn't have to be complicated
A one-page website with your name, what you do, your hours, your location, and your contact info is enough to change how people see your business. It doesn't need to be fancy. It needs to exist, look professional, and load fast.
That's what I build — clean, hand-coded sites starting at $250. No monthly fees. No platform you're locked into. The code is yours forever.
If your Facebook page is doing all the heavy lifting right now, it might be time to give it some help. Call me — (607) 221-5678.